Little Falls transcript., 1887-03-11

Ing 40 answer he presently spok.
again. u. 5sz5sz= -55 b
What IS that noise. / hear down.
etairs?'' ..-
I'VE don't know" said Maid; "but
'' =.=t. /. !: q. = s...s r. 1's,s =,
But what? Is that what is alarm.
ing you?" - =
Maud considered. 'tWe are afraid
it is IA BURGLAR !: ~ 4.
"What! Another" exclaimed the
stranger. Then he checked himself
Don't you think you'd better send
me to dispose ofhim?"' he suggested,
with an admirable assumption of the
bo}dness of innocence. ~,
"Maud!" sharply protested Mrs,
Estabrook. -. ',--
zone moment mamma" rejoined
her daughter. ri am not sure" She
turned to the door again. "You are
quite certain he is not an-an-an-
assistant o: yours?" she asked, in the
politest terms she could select.
'IIet me out, and you shall see. Up.
on my honor" Here the words were
lost in g. stlfed sound.
lis the man laughing?" demanded
Mrs. Estabrook, in angry amaze;
then, as a new suspicion entered hel
mind. MAUD, do you believe he is
exactly in his right mind?"
II don't think he canbe," Maud an.
swered, doubtfully; but seeing her
mothers growing alarm she hastened
to add, "but we evidently have GER
tain control over him, and-really
mamma. [ don't know but it would
be better to let him drive the other
away. No, but hear me out. They
can't be accomplices, and if we must
be in the power of either, why, 1 would
much sooner trust this one. He is far
superior to ordinary burglars" con.
cluded Maud, with fine air OF
connoisseurship in this particular
branch OF the dangerous classes.
Her opinion. as usual, prevailed,
and their prisoner was informed that
If he would not move until given
time he should be released. AS he
readily agreed to the conditions, the
girl stole out into the passage, turned
the key very softly, and then flew back
into her own room, which she
locked in hot haste. Here she knocked
on the inner door, and at the appoint
ed sign heard the young man dash
through the corridor and down stairs.
There was a sound OF rattling glass,
an altercation of voices, q pistol shot,
and then q brief period of suspense,
during which the hearts of the two
women stood still. Then steps re-
turned along the passage, crossed
through the next room, and stopped
beside the door of communication,
where q rap resounded.
"Miss Estabrooke, I have come
back" said quiet voice.
"And the-the-man?" asked Maud,
breathless.
80, fancy he'll give you no more
trouble. Judging from the groan
l heard as he beat q retreat,
he won't feel IN spirits for any
more OF this business tonight.
"We-we are very much obliged to
YOU" stammered Maud, rather at a
loss what to say under the circum-
stances.
Not at all. 1t was pleasure to me.
He was infringing on my rights you
know"
Silence followed, broken by another
rap. "Aliss Estabrook, l am waiting
to be locked in again."
''Do you really mean-" began
Maud.
"Certainly, I must insist, it you
please. III stay here until you give
me the word"
"Be quick, Maud" whispered Mrs.
Estabrook, very distrustful OF this
extraordinary burglar. E'The man is
either a criminal or O. lunatic. Run
and turn the key child before he
changes his mind.'
Thus urged, the girl made another
sortle. Once more the key clicked in
the lock, their prisoner was heard to
cross the floor and then all was silence
again.
Not for long, however. Suddenly
there was q confused clamor at the
outside door, while the bell pea!ed
londly through the honse Maud and
her mother sprang up and faced each
other.
'"That man back again?" faltered
Mrs. Eastbrook.
20 mamma, mol" said Maud reas.
suringly.
"a burglar would never ring the bell.
Why It's Toni" she cried, with sudden
conviction. "It's my brother come
home,' she repeated, as a voice from
the next room was heard, with renew
ed proffers OF assistance.
Tom it was indeed, and very anx-
ious about the safety of the household.
AS the brother and sister met in the
gray OF the early dawn he hastily ex-
planned how, having called in to see
Amelia, she had given him no
peace until. he promised to
return at once to The Willows;
how he had done so, in some vexa-
tion at what he considered her fussi-
ness, until everything had suddenly
been driven out of his miud by the
sight OF q blood-stain on the piazza.
At which Maud shuddered, and was
about to relate her version of the
nights adventures, when Mrs. Esta-
brooks voice was heard in reproach-
full accents from above. They has
tened upstairs, and found the poor
lady inclined to Mysteries at being g left
alone. She began an incoherent story
in which Peter and the burglar were
jumbled, to Toms bewildernlent.
"But who winged the burglar, them"
he asked. "Was it you, Maud?"
"Hush-sh!" breathed his mother,
with warning finger appraised. "He's
in there, you know"
''In there! why, thought you said
he was gone? And what on earth is
Peter in there tor?
t'No. no, not Peter, the-the burglar
'"The burglar!" Tom jumped up.
"You don't mean you've trapped the
fellow? Bravo!" And he was hurrvinp